Method of making a storage system having an environmentally-modifiable conductor

• US 8,745,861 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Cok, Ronald Steven, Lyons, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): ARBES, CARL J
• Application Number:
  US13/455,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20130283606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 298/25, 298/30, 298/32, 298/40, 298/46, 361/737
• US Class Current: 29/832
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/029 having a programmable lay-out, i.e. adapted for choosing between a few possibilities
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/175 Configurations of connections suitable for easy deletion, e.g. modifiable circuits or temporary conductors for electroplating; Processes for deleting connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/1241 by ink-jet printing or drawing by dispensing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49144 by metal fusion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

A method of making an electronic storage system includes receiving a substrate with a detection region. A transceiver formed on a transceiver substrate separate from the substrate is affixed to the substrate. A code circuit separate from the transceiver is disposed over the substrate. The code circuit includes a conductor disposed over the substrate at least partly in the detection region. The conductor has an electrical state that changes in response to an environmental factor. The transceiver is electrically connected to the code circuit so that the transceiver can detect the electrical state of the conductor. The transceiver includes an interface adapted to selectively transmit an uplink signal representing the electrical state of the conductor.

Claims

1. A method of making an electronic storage system, comprising:

receiving a substrate with a detection region;

affixing to the substrate a transceiver formed on a transceiver substrate separate from the substrate;

disposing a code circuit separate from the transceiver over the substrate, the code circuit including a conductor disposed over the substrate at least partly in the detection region, the conductor having an electrical state that changes in response to an environmental factor; and

electrically connecting the transceiver to the code circuit so that the transceiver can detect the electrical state of the conductor;

wherein the transceiver further includes an interface adapted to selectively transmit an uplink signal representing the electrical state of the conductor.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the disposing step includes depositing electrically-conductive inks on the substrate to form the conductor.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the disposing step includes disposing a conductive foil over the substrate to form at least a part of the code circuit.

4. The method according to claim 1, further including sealing the code circuit outside the detection region after the electrically-connecting step to keep the sealed portion of the code circuit from exposure to the environment.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the disposing step includes disposing a plurality of conductors over the substrate, each of the plurality of conductors having a respective, different susceptibility to the environmental factor, so that each of the plurality of conductors changes electrical state at a respective, different time in response to the environmental factor under uniform exposure to the environmental factor so that the environmental factor affects the electrical state of each of the plurality of conductors.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the susceptibilities under uniform exposure to the environmental factor are selected so that the respective, different response times corresponding to the different susceptibilities form elements of an arithmetic, geometric, logarithmic, or other regular sequence.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the transceiver includes a timer adapted to measure the respective, different times, or the intervals between the respective, different times, and provide the measured times or the intervals to the interface.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver includes an output electrical-connection pad, an excitation circuit adapted to provide an excitation signal to the output electrical-connection pad, an input electrical-connection pad, and a detection circuit connected to the input electrical-connection pad;

the code circuit is adapted to electrically connect the output electrical-connection pad to the input electrical-connection pad, so that the detection circuit detects an electrical state of the input electrical-connection pad in response to the excitation signal and the electrical state of the conductor; and

the connecting step further includes electrically connecting the output electrical-connection pad and input electrical-connection pad to the code circuit.

9. The method according to claim 1, further including changing the state of the electrical conductor in response to the presence or absence of a substance in a fluid.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the substance is a virus or a chemical.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the fluid is a bodily fluid.

12. The method according to claim 1, further including changing the state of the electrical conductor in response to the corrosion of the conductor.

13. A method of making an electronic storage system, comprising:

receiving a substrate with a detection region;

affixing to the substrate a transceiver formed on a transceiver substrate separate from the substrate;

disposing a code circuit separate from the transceiver over the substrate, the code circuit including a conductor disposed over the substrate at least partly in the detection region, the conductor having an electrical state that changes in response to an environmental factor; and

electrically connecting the transceiver to the code circuit so that the transceiver can detect the electrical state of the conductor;

wherein the transceiver further includes an interface adapted to selectively transmit an uplink signal representing the electrical state of the conductor; and

wherein the substrate includes a chamber in the detection region, the disposing step including disposing the conductor over the chamber to seal the chamber gas-tight.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the disposing step further includes filling the chamber with nitrogen gas before disposing the conductor over the chamber.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the disposing step further includes drawing vacuum in the chamber before disposing the conductor over the chamber.